Russia - Aeroflot and connecting in Moscow

I need to decide on an award travel where I require some advice on one part of the travel:

CDG-Moscow Aeroflot 260 - Dep 1:40 PM; Arr 7:30 PM
Moscow-DEL Aeroflot 535 Dep 9:20 PM

Questions:

Is it enough time to connect? I do not know if the flights arrive and depart from the same terminal. Also, how to find that out.
Am concerned about the quality of Aeroflot - safety, and otherwise. I guess comfort is something to compromise on, but safety is another matter. Any thoughts?
We have US passports. Would we need visa for transit? What happens if we miss the connection?


If it matters, the flights are in December, so I'd also like to know if there are frequent delays in winter at Moscow.

Thanks a ton!

kavm, as most of your questions revolve around Moscow and Russia, let me move this to our Travel->Russia forum. Ocn Vw 1K, Moderator, TravelBuzz.

My answers are in blue.


Questions:

Is it enough time to connect? I do not know if the flights arrive and depart from the same terminal. Also, how to find that out.
Yes, 1h50m is enough time to connect if the two flights are in the same terminal. For information about your booking (which terminals / any change of flight time), check www.virtuallythere.com Am concerned about the quality of Aeroflot - safety, and otherwise. I guess comfort is something to compromise on, but safety is another matter. Any thoughts?
Aeroflot is indeed very safe and its a common misconception that they're unsafe with old Soviet-era aircraft and poor service. The aircraft operating on your flights are using state-of-the-art Boeing and Airbus aircraft with accident rates in-line with other airlines across the world. Service onboard is highly professional and flight attendants take their job very seriously while on the ground, that's the main problem (Soviet-era attitude). On your SVO-DEL flight, you may have a chance of flying on the new Airbus A330 with personal TVs in Economy Class - Aeroflot is still finalizing its Winter 2010 schedule (latest progress: http://airlineroute.net/2010/06/07/su-w10-longhaul3/).
We have US passports. Would we need visa for transit? What happens if we miss the connection?
No visa required as long as you are not leaving the airport transit area. If you miss your connection (due to delayed flight), Aeroflot will most likely put you in the visa-free section of the nearby Novotel Sheremeyetvo hotel (with meals) and rebook you onto the next available flight.


If it matters, the flights are in December, so I'd also like to know if there are frequent delays in winter at Moscow.
It's quite hard to predict. For my travel in February 2010 (HKG-SVO-CDG rt), the flights were not delayed by weather at all though it was snowing quite heavily. <= typical Moscow weather

Thanks a whole lot! This gives me a whole lot more comfort to forward with this option.

I would like your opinion on one more item related to this: There is an earlier flight SU250 to Moscow that leaves CDG at 11:45 AM and gets to Moscow at 5:30 PM - giving a much more generous 4 hours for connection.

Pros: Gives us a more comfortable connection.
Cons: Since our flight from the US gets in at 6:10 AM, I was hoping to get a hotel and rest up before continuing the marathon journey to DEL. The 11:45 AM departure from CDG makes that less effective.

I know it is subjective, but I'd appreciate any comments. I did read somewhere that SVO isn't the greatest for spending much time.

Once again, thanks a lot! Your response was very pertinent and helped make up my mind towards going forward with the routing.

PS: I noticed that the on-time rating of the currently booked CDG-SVO flight 260 is 0.8 out of 5. With average delay of 30 minutes. It turns out the average delay of SVO-DEL is also about the same, so it should cancel out.

Thanks a whole lot! This gives me a whole lot more comfort to forward with this option.

I would like your opinion on one more item related to this: There is an earlier flight SU250 to Moscow that leaves CDG at 11:45 AM and gets to Moscow at 5:30 PM - giving a much more generous 4 hours for connection.

Pros: Gives us a more comfortable connection.
Cons: Since our flight from the US gets in at 6:10 AM, I was hoping to get a hotel and rest up before continuing the marathon journey to DEL. The 11:45 AM departure from CDG makes that less effective.

I know it is subjective, but I'd appreciate any comments. I did read somewhere that SVO isn't the greatest for spending much time.

Once again, thanks a lot! Your response was very pertinent and helped make up my mind towards going forward with the routing.

PS: I noticed that the on-time rating of the currently booked CDG-SVO flight 260 is 0.8 out of 5. With average delay of 30 minutes. It turns out the average delay of SVO-DEL is also about the same, so it should cancel out.
Taking the earlier flight would really be personal preference but 4 hours at Terminal F would be an overkill and totally unnecessary. However, if you're using the new Terminal D instead of the dreaded Terminal F, spending 4hrs at SVO would be ok.

However, if you're using the new Terminal D instead of the dreaded Terminal F, spending 4hrs at SVO would be ok.

The flight to DEL is scheduled to move over to Terminal D early in August. (And most people seem to prefer to go to the even newer Terminal E if they have a longish wait at the gate as there seem to be more chairs available over there. Terminals D and E - and possibly F - are connected airside.)

The flight to DEL is scheduled to move over to Terminal D early in August. (And most people seem to prefer to go to the even newer Terminal E if they have a longish wait at the gate as there seem to be more chairs available over there. Terminals D and E - and possibly F - are connected airside.)

How are D & E connected airside? Are there amble signs showing the way?

How are D & E connected airside? Are there amble signs showing the way?

Frankly I've no personal experience yet, but according to aviaforum.ru they are now. No idea on signage, though. (Facing the runways, the terminals go like this: D-E-F. I'd imagine it would quite easy to find the way - from Terminal E you just head to the left and from Terminal D, to the right).

ETA: It looks like there is some signage after all, see post below

How are D & E connected airside? Are there amble signs showing the way?


Here's a pic of that passage signposted from Terminal F

http://aviaforum.ru/attachment.php?attachmentid=182840&d=1278011422

Here's a pic of that passage signposted from Terminal F

http://aviaforum.ru/attachment.php?attachmentid=182840&d=1278011422

Thanks for the Post. If only we could get a flight to KRO from Terminal D :(. Now it's either drive to Vunkova & wait 12 hours or Terminal D to CEK and a long 3 hr drive.

I'm looking at taking a similar flight, but from NYC to DEL with a 12 hour layover this coming Sunday/Monday.

Would it be worthwhile to go to the consulate tomorrow and try to get a visa? It looks like the fees are a bit out of control, but I have always wanted to visit Moscow.

I'm looking at taking a similar flight, but from NYC to DEL with a 12 hour layover this coming Sunday/Monday.

Would it be worthwhile to go to the consulate tomorrow and try to get a visa? It looks like the fees are a bit out of control, but I have always wanted to visit Moscow.
Most definitely. There's not much to do in SVO; get the train to downtown Moscow and do Kremlin and a couple of other attractions.
I hope you are not flying SU314; traveling Aeroflot's B767 in coach is not a very nice experience (pretty much same to DL to continental Europe).